This disclosure relates generally to the field of digital image capture, and more particularly to the field of three dimensional (3D) image capturing.
Today's image capturing systems are generally able to digitally acquire 3D images of a physical object by using technology, such as contacting or non-contacting based technology. In contacting based technology, the image capturing system physically interacts with the surface of the physical object to construct a 3D digital image. Alternatively, for some types of non-contacting based technology, rather than physically contacting the object, the image capturing system uses a light source to emit light and detect light reflections off the surface of the physical object. Typically, the light source is a laser-based system that projects a laser on the surface of the physical object. Detectors, such as cameras, measure and/or determine the location of the laser as it reflects off the surface the object. Based on the measured distance and orientation of the detectors, the image capturing systems are able to render a 3D digital image of the physical object.
One type of non-contacting technology involves using a structured-light source to capture 3D images. Structured-light sources project a known pattern of light (e.g., a stripe pattern) onto the surfaces of a physical object to detect for deformations in the pattern. One or more cameras capture the pattern deformities as the structured-light is illuminated onto the physical object. Using the captured pattern deformities, an image capturing system is able to calculate the depth and surface information within the field of view of the camera. Unfortunately, the structured-light sources are often laser-based light sources that typically are expense and power hungry components, and thus, prevent the implementation of 3D image capturing systems as electronic devices that have relatively limited computational and power resources, such as mobile devices.